The Tui Nature Reserve Wildlife Trust, in Outer Pelorus Sound, has successfully released eight Yellow Crowned Kakariki from its own breeding programme for the first time. The birds were all hatched and raised in purpose-built facilities on the Marlborough Sounds reserve with the aim of releasing them in predator free areas. Tui Nature Reserve co-owner Brian Plaisier says the eight Yellow Crowned Kakariki were this week taken to Nelson to be released at Project Janszoon in the Abel Tasman area. He says the transfer of the birds is part of a breeding programme between Tui Nature Reserve and other conservation organisations Lochmara and EcoWorld in Marlborough and Natureland in Nelson. Exchanging the birds meant good breeding pairs could be established, says Brian, and more Yellow Crowned Kakariki will be transferred off the reserve later this year. This week’s transfer of the eight Yellow Crowned Kakariki marks a major achievement for the Tui Nature Reserve Wildlife Trust, which is also involved in the breeding of other native species for release including Giant Weta, a number of which were released on Puangiangi Island last year, with more planned for this year. The success of the reserve’s breeding programmes so far, and the growing demand for native species to release in predator free areas, means the Tui Nature Reserve Wildlife Trust is looking at options to expand its programme, says Brian. “This will contribute to the reverse of our rapidly declining wildlife.” Meanwhile, the ongoing restoration of the Tui Nature Reserve’s own 80 hectares of prime native habitat - a combined effort between the Tui Nature Wildlife Trust and neighbouring Sealife Trust -is on target with the instalment of automatic trapping systems. The construction of a predator control fence to deter pigs and goats is also in its last stage. Brian says the success of the breeding programmes has been possible thanks to funding from the Lottery Commission supported by the Queen Elizabeth II Trust. Other contributors were Project Janszoon Kakariki Coordinator Rosemary vander Lee and the Department of Conservation. *The Tui Nature Reserve will hold a number of open days this year for the public to visit the breeding facilities and the Tui conservation sanctuary, dates will be notified closer to the time.
For more information contact: Brian and Ellen Plaisier 027 4483447 www.tuinaturereserve.co.nz
A noisy group of colourful characters have taken up residence at the Tui Nature Reserve in the Marlborough Sounds, as its kakariki breeding programme starts to bring rewards for the environment.
Yellow crowned kakariki, an endangered native parakeet, arrived from Long Island last week for a new life in new aviaries built on the outer Pelorus Sound wildlife sanctuary.
They replace the reserve's captive population of red crowned kakariki, which successfully bred and were re-homed.
Reserve owners Brian and Ellen Plaisier say once the wild yellow kakariki breed they will be released into other wildlife sanctuaries at the top of the South Island, such as the Janszoon Project in Abel Tasman National Park.
Bringing the birds to the reserve involved a lot of people and effort, Brian Plaisier says.
"With the help of Peter Gaze, DOC and Tui Trust Board member Ralph Powlesland, the birds were transported by boats and cars to the outer Pelorus. Rosemary vander Lee, who is a kakariki advisor, came out for two days to guide the whole ordeal," he says.
The kakariki are not the only new creatures on the reserve, with the arrival of the first young giant weta a few months ago, which Brian Plaisier says will be released into the wild later this year.
The reserve also hosted members of the Tennyson Inlet community in January and last week two groups of students from Scots College in Wellington visited.
It's the second year the college has visited, Brian Plaisier says. Everyone travelled on the Pelorus Mail Boat with owner Jim Baillie, who Brian Plaisier says made the journey an "unforgettable experience".
"Many students had visited before and were keen to visit a second time.
"It was an inspiring week with an exchange of information and it was good to see the interest from so many young people in our environment," Brian Plaisier says.
Visitors were particularly interested in predator management on the reserve, and the second college group were even able to see the new kakariki.
"It was good to see the birds settling in without too much stress with all the attention," he says.
Students were also able to ask ornithologist Rob Schuckard about a nearby colony of rare king shags.
"Rob is a member of the Tui Wildlife Trust Board's advisory group and has studied this species for decades.
"He spoke about the concerns of a changing environment in the Pelorus and the need to manage this for the survival of the King Shag and other species," Brian Plaisier says.
The trust is continuing work behind the scenes to reverse the decline of wildlife and habitat and has made some major steps, as interest in the reserve continues to grow.
"The growing support and interest from many is very stimulating for the wildlife trust to continue their efforts to improve and preserve key areas for the next generations to come."
If you like to be a supporter of the Tui Nature Reserve and to follow the work of the trust visit tuinaturereserve.co.nz.
In your spare time, some of you might mow the lawns, or clean out the garage, and a few of you might even get some paintbrushes out and paint the house. Over the last few years, Brian Plaisier has been building a fence.
And it's not just any old fence. The Chairman of the Tui Nature Reserve Wildlife Trust, along with his family and a keen group of volunteers, has been building a giant predator-diverting fence in the idyllic Marlborough Sounds.
"The project was originally a private challenge for our family after we bought the land in 1994," he says. "We wanted to bring some of the native wildlife back to the area, as at the time, it was pretty devastated". Few birds and a grey, possum damaged canopy were the obvious signs that the native wildlife needed the family's help.
The local community also caught wind of the work, and lent a hand, and the Trust was formed. It now has five trustees and an advisory group of 16 members, all with a wide range of skills and expertise to contribute to conservation.
In May this year, the first 100 metres of the fence were erected with the help of the latest group of volunteers - a team of Trainee DOC Rangers from Nelson.
"The fence is designed to keep out large animals such as goats, pig and deer," says Brian. "We will also continue trapping behind the fence to control predators like stoat, rat, and possums," he adds.
It is hoped that when the nearly 1km long fence is finished, predator numbers will be low enough to allow for the South Island Robin to be reintroduced. The tiny native birds have suffered from a dramatic reduction in numbers across New Zealand, and it's simply too risky to re-introduce them into areas with high predator counts.
The erection of the first part of the fence has capped off an impressive few years for the Trust. Thanks to the support of the Marlborough Council, local iwi Ngati Kuia, and the Department of Conservation, along with WWF-New Zealand's Habitat Protection Fund which is supported by The Tindall Foundation, the reserve is now a spectacular eco tourist destination, and in 2009 won the supreme award at the Marlborough Environment Awards.
"To win the award in 2009 was very inspiring for us," says Brian. "It has also helped ignite our enthusiasm for new projects," he adds. These projects include programmes to give young people an opportunity to learn skills like trapping, monitoring, and chainsaw skills, and an environmental research and science programme for university students. Visitors can also stay at the reserve and help out on regular patrols, as well as bird watching and sightseeing activities.
"The Tui Nature Reserve is a great example of the positive impact private landowners can have on conservation in New Zealand," says Jenny Lynch, WWF's Community Conservation Coordinator. "Their family approach, along with the input of the local community, means the project will span generations and gives it a solid footing for the future."
But at its heart, the project at Tui Nature Reserve still remains very much a family affair. Brian's children are involved in the work at the reserve, and both have picked up unique skills that are invaluable to the conservation efforts at the reserve.
"Leona is a trained handler with DOC's Conservation Dogs programme, and Liam is in training," says Brian. Their dogs have special skills to monitor the presence of predators that have breached the protection in place.
The handlers and the dogs are in high demand too. In February this year Leona travelled to Macquarie Island with two of the conservation dogs, to help with predator control on the isolated island. This is an unique conservation project and also supported by WWF.
For Brian, the fence is just part of the wider work involved at the Reserve, and he remains optimistic that our native species can be protected if the right decisions are made now. "Every little victory should be celebrated. These will inspire those who are working hard to make a difference for all of us," he says.
The Tui Nature Reserve Wildlife Trust is encouraging interested people to assist this popular conservation project by becoming supporting members.
Since being started in 1994, the Tui Nature Reserve project has made huge progress in restoring the natural heritage of Otuhoto Peninsula on the Waitata Reach. An important new project at the reserve has been started to construct a predator diverting fence to keep out large animals, such as pigs and goats.
This project, like many others over the years, has relied on the efforts of volunteers from all over the world and the Plaisier family who manage the reserve.
Through extensive predator trapping and the breeding of captive native species for release, the habitats and wildlife of the Tui Nature Reserve are well on the way towards their former pristine health.
Hopefully it won't be long before the re-introduction of species formerly present in the reserve can be started, such as the return of south island robins.
As well as the obvious species conservation projects, the trust has developed educational programmes for young people to encourage their awareness of conservation and the environment through practical experiences in the field.
To further the conservation and educational activities in the reserve, the Tui Nature Reserve Wildlife Trust, a registered charitable organisation, was established in 2011.
It has five trustees and an advisory group of 16 members, all with a wide range of skills and expertise to contribute. While much physical work has been carried out to achieve the objectives of the trust, such as building aviaries, trapping rats and possums, and building the new fence, money is needed to fund these activities, such as the purchase of materials.
Members will receive a biannual newsletter about what has been happening at the reserve, and be informed of open days, presentations, workshops, ongoing restoration work and practical field trips on offer.
All funds generated by members' contributions will be put towards the reserve's conservation projects.
Yearly membership costs $30 a person, $50 a family and $100 a group.
The Tui Nature Reserve in the Marlborough Sounds is another step closer to releasing native species, thanks to a donation of a new pest trap system by Pelorus/Te Hoiere iwi Ngati Kuia, says reserve co-owner Brian Plaisier.
Made by Nelson-based company Ka Mate Traps, the traps have been specially designed not just to control rodents and other pests, but keep animals such as weka safe using a light-weight trap station.
Importantly, the stations, which have an extra bar fitted to the trap for mice, also keep weka from removing the dead rats and mice, which destroys vital data.
The Tui Nature Reserve, operating for nearly 20 years in the outer Pelorus Sound, relied heavily on that data to determine when species such as the South Island Robin, which once lived in the area but was driven out by foreign pests and loss of habitat, could be reintroduced, Mr Plaisier said.
Pests caught in the traps are counted each month and the collated data sent to agencies including the Marlborough District Council and WWF.
Mr Plaisier said the multi-species snap-trap system, along with a predator diverting fence currently under construction on the reserve, would further strengthen the reserve's environmentally-friendly pest control system.
The traps would hopefully ensure pest data was as accurate as possible to ensure not just the safety of native fauna, but secure funding for the project in future years, he said.
Ka Mate Traps managing director Bruce Thomas said the company provided traps for conservation projects in New Zealand and overseas. The medium trap and station system had undergone extensive field trials with successful results in a range of habitats and was the most effective and user-friendly system available for conservation and science rat-trapping, he said.
Ngati Kuia spokesman Raymond Smith said Ngati Kuia took its role of kaitiaki, or guardians, of Te Hoiere/Pelorus Sound seriously and was pleased to contribute to the management of pests in the area and at the Tui Nature Reserve.
"Ngati Kuia are committed to the Marlborough Sounds area and have seen the decline of native biodiversity in Te Hoiere/Pelorus Sounds. Possums, stoats and rats are devastating to the survival and regeneration of fauna and flora."
Mr Smith said Ngati Kuia was opposed to aerial 1080 drops and was proud to support initiatives like the Tui Nature Reserve, which used a predator-diverting fence, trapping and predator detection dog training for their pest eradication programme.
Ngati Kuia has supported the Tui Nature Reserve for many years, including when the Tui Nature Reserve Wildlife Trust was first set up in 2011.
Department of Conservation trainee rangers battled rain and steep, slippery conditions to erect vital predator control fence at the Tui Nature Reserve on April 23.
The Nelson-based trainees erected heavy posts which had been delivered to the isolated Otuhoto Peninsula on Waitata Reach by helicopter.
"Without doubt the trainees were on a mission to get the job done and after a day of slipping around on steep terrain the first 100m of fence is now in place," reserve owner Brian Plaisier said.
"The DOC Maud Island crew helped transport the trainees from Maud Island to Tui [Nature Reserve], which was much appreciated and the hard work from everyone was an inspiration.
"Hopefully we will see a new group of trainees back in the next school term," Brian said.
He said the fence was a vital tool in eradicating pests from the reserve where work to restore the unrivalled Marlborough Sounds native habitat began in 1994.
Designed to keep out large animals such as goats and deer, the fence will be backed up by a line of traps to capture stoats, rats and mice.
It is hoped pest numbers will drop far enough to allow the release of vulnerable native species such as the South Island robin which once flourished in the area.
"Restoration is in full swing with flowering trees and seeds welcomed by the returning birdlife," Brian said.
The group of department trainees was one of several groups to visit the reserve lately.
"There is growing interest in the reserve's activities from the wider community with many groups visiting the sanctuary to see progress for themselves.
A visit from Scots College students from Wellington was a huge success and the questions and feedback from the students were very valuable to the Tui Nature Reserve Wildlife Trust," Brian said.
Following on from this success, the trust is endeavouring to organise further school visits or visits from any other interested groups.
A predator-proof fence has been on the "project list" for 20 years and now finally the first steps have been made.
Three other volunteers and I spent the whole month of February clearing a strip of space on one side of the peninsula, making way for the new mammal-diverting fence.
The fence should be roughly 1000 metres long and we have started the first 500 metres. Starting from the top of the hill, we are following a ridge down to a cliff that ends at the waterline.
With the clearing almost completed, the barge came in with the materials. They dropped the packaged posts and rolls of netting onto our neighbours' wharf, lifting the pallets by forklift and crane.
A few days later we got a call in the morning that the neighbour was going to come out with the chopper to fly the material up.
We all went up over the hill to the fence site, even Esmae came along to watch as it was a pretty exciting event.
We had fashioned a long pole with a yellow flag to make it easier for the pilot to know where the next drop-off was.
My father held the pole up, while Liam unhooked the load as the helicopter hung above and I took the pictures (much easier).
After every second load we had about three to five minutes to drop down the fence site by about 100 metres, to the next drop-off zone. Sounds easy, but there's nothing "flat" about this ridge we were running down. As fast as possible, we'd run/roll down the hill, which seemed to be mostly mud and stalky bits of tree stumps. Perfect for tripping over.
Every time we just made it and held the flag up again as the helicopter, piloted by our neighbour Rick Lucas, would return from his wharf with another load. There was one post that almost didn't make it but it managed to hang on long enough before being carefully placed onto the drop-off zone.
In about half an hour all 10 loads were up and in position, to be spread out by hand later on. Lucky we didn't have to do it by hand because our Landcruiser is in town at the moment. It will come back later by barge.
The weekend is going to be busy too. Our boat needs to come out of the water every six months to clean the hull. At high tide Liam and I went down to get it on to the beach sitting on top of two large tree stumps we had specially selected.
It took us two hours to get everything in position and tied up. So now we're just about to head off to clean and paint it. Luckily it was a good moon so it made it easier to see.
Leona Plaisier is a teenager living with her family at Tui Nature Reserve in Pelorus Sound.
As 20 small brown geckos cautiously emerged from plastic containers into the leafy shelter of their new homes, they had no idea how important their tiny steps were for one Marlborough Sounds conservation project.
The Tui Nature Reserve in Outer Pelorus Sound received the common geckos from nearby Conservation Department reserve Maud Island on Monday in what is the reserve's first gecko breeding programme.
Giant weta have also been bred at the reserve.
The geckos were freed into custom-built enclosures by the reserve's owners the Plaisier family and Ngati Kuia representative Raymond Smith, who blessed them first with a karakia.
It comes after almost two decades of hard work by the Plaisiers, and more recently the Tui Nature Reserve Wildlife Trust, to restore the once weed-ridden, barren peninsula to its natural state.
The arrival of the geckos, which was permitted by the department, marked a bigr milestone in that restoration, said family spokesperson Liam Plaisier, 14.
He hoped the 20 geckos, 12 females and eight males, would breed sufficiently in their custom-built enclosures to allow the release of some into the reserve.
How long this would take was unclear, as geckos are notoriously slow breeders and have only one or two young each breeding season, Liam said.
Common geckos already exist on the peninsula, but their numbers have been severely depleted by predators such as stoats, rats and mice.
Years of intensive pest control meant the peninsula was now mostly pest-free, which would be further helped by a predator-diverting fence to be built this year on the reserve's boundary.
The pest-free status, and success of the gecko release programme, would hopefully lead to the release of other species, Liam said.
Maud Island Conservation Department ranger Chris Birmingham said the geckos were taken from different sites on Maud Island to ensure genetic diversity.
The island's gecko population was so plentiful that removing 20 would not make an impact, which showed how well Maud Island was doing, Mr Birmingham said.
"It's pretty significant that we're able to transfer the geckos."
Addressing the Plaisiers and members of the trust before the geckos were released yesterday, Mr Smith said the reptiles held a special place in Maori mythology.
He hoped their presence in the reserve would increase its popularity so more people became aware and involved in the project.
"All of the people in this area, they need to see things like this."
MAIKE VAN DER HEIDE - Published in The Marlborough Express -
The Plaisier family of the Tui Nature Reserve in the Outer Pelorus Sounds are calling on the decision makers to reconsider fast tracking new resource consent applications for more aquaculture farms in the Marlborough Sounds.
Having spent 17 years establishing a successful and award-winning conservation reserve with many national and international visitors, volunteers and students, the Plaisiers are appalled at the Government's move to reform the Resource Management Act and change aquaculture legislation to open the door to potential widespread commercial fish farming in the Marlborough Sounds.
This is the first time the family have spoken out against plans of any kind for the Marlborough Sounds. However after working in partnership with the community, iwi, Department of Conservation, Council and many other parties for nearly two decades to ensure the natural future of the Marlborough Sounds and at the same time inspire future generation to do the same, they feel strongly enough to speak out.
Like many other operators, the Tui Nature Reserve depends on tourism to generate eco–dollars, an income that would be under threat if it was to be surrounded by commercial farming.
National and international visitors staying at the reserve will have their views interrupted by aquaculture farms, along with related activities like as many boat activities, noise, lights, visual effects, large numbers of seagulls, and the effects on the water quality, says Brian Plaisier.
Those effects are just the start, he says, as more applications for commercial fish farming in the Marlborough Sounds will be made if the current proposals are granted. This will be irreversible, so now is the time to decide the future of the Sounds, Brian says. "We challenge those who make decisions for the Sounds from behind their desks in New Zealand and overseas to come out here and see what impact those decisions have in the Sounds." says Brian.
The new plans would involve considerable use of natural resources in areas identified as of high significance, says Brian. These areas were put in place in respect of the community's wishes to preserve those areas for the next generations to come. By maintaining the existing plans and policies those wishes are honoured.
There is still a lack of knowledge about how the Marlborough Sounds ecosystem functions and more research is needed to help to preserve this environment for the future, says Brian. "Sustainable management of the water and the land around it is also very beneficial for the aquaculture industry and is a long term plan." "The current production level by New Zealand King Salmon made them a suitable sponsor for the Tui Nature Reserve and other projects in the Sounds designed to protect the quality of this environment." "However if new farms are permitted we feel that the farms' footprint will be too overwhelming and we are questioning the capacity of the Sounds to absorb more aquaculture," Brian says.
The Plaisiers foresees a rush on water space with no regards for the sustainable management and balance of the ecosystem. The environmental effects of farms will worsen as they grow in numbers, as has been proven overseas and in other local industries such as forestry which has caused an out-of-control wilding pine problem. "We also fear that people, groups and countless volunteers currently working towards preserving, restoring and protecting the Sounds may no longer be inspired and disappear as commercial activity damages the area's beauty and pristine image," says Brian.
"The Government is supporting the aquaculture reform, unlocking economic potential in Marlborough, but now we feel this is tipping the environmental balance. "There should be a long-term plan in place with not only profitable intentions but also an investment in the future of our Sounds."
He adds that the Marlborough Sounds is a draw card for visitors to the region, who will be put off by seeing rising commercial activities in our "clean and clear" waters.
"We have doubts about the economic benefits for our community in the long term. The tourist industry generates the biggest income in Marlborough and is providing many direct and indirect jobs. At the same time as it is opening up protected areas for commercial use, the Government has cut funds to those protecting the environment yet continues to promote New Zealand's 'clean, green' image to the world to secure the country's top earner, the tourist dollar."
"This is not sustainable. Our 'clean, green image' has already been questioned by overseas media and maintaining this image we need a well managed environment."
The Plaisiers' view on the issue is shared by many in the community who have visited the Tui Nature Reserve, says Brian. Without their support this project was and is not able to continue as we see this and other sanctuaries as part of the Marlborough Sounds vision for the future.
We are hoping that common sense will be the key to a sustainable future.
As 20 small brown geckos cautiously emerged from plastic containers into the leafy shelter of their new homes, they had no idea how important their tiny steps were for one Marlborough Sounds conservation project.